Earlier this year, David Letterman quietly broke Johnny Carson’s record for longest running late night host. Not being chosen to take Carson’s place on “The Tonight Show” may have been one of his biggest disappointments of his life, but he’s made the best of it when CBS picked him up instead.
Tonight, he marks his 20th anniversary of “Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS, 11:35 p.m.) by bringing back his first guest he had on the network, Bill Murray when the show began on Aug. 30, 1993. Murray was also Letterman’s first guest when he originated “Late Night” on Feb. 1, 1982 — a show that has since gone to Conan O’Brien (who hosted the “Tonight” show briefly) and Jimmy Fallon (who takes it over early next year).
Together, Letterman and Murray will reminisce about the 26 times he’s appearared on the show since then. It has all the markings of being another classic episode of Letterman, while not going overboard on the celebrating itself. Lenny Kravitz and Gladys Knight also perform.
The season finale of “Hollywood Game Night” (NBC, 10 p.m.) doesn’t mean a finals competition and all around champion. Instead, just another night of odd games and random stars, which include this week, Hoda Kotb of “Today,” David Giuntoli of “Grimmm,” Terry Crews of the upcoming “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” Jerry Ferrara of “Entourage,” Emilie de Ravin of “Lost.”
It’s also a network season finale for the summer filler “Motive” (ABC, 8 p.m.). To make it seem like more of an “event,” they play the two final episodes together to fill two hours.
The only other new scripted fare on broadcast TV is “Rookie Blue” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
The person voted out of “Big Brother” (CBS, 9 p.m.) has a name that starts with A: Andy or Alyssa.
Running out of shark films for the moment, Syfy presents the “Jurassic Park” ripoff from earlier this year, “Age of Dinosaurs” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) with Ronny Cox and Treat Williams.
Shoes are supposed to inspire the creations tonight on “Project Runway” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.), where guest judges are Kaley Cuoco of “The Big Bang Theory” and Marie Claire editor Anne Fulenwider and a shocking elimination is promised.
If they are looking for new original material, though, the title of the new special “Attack of the Celebrity Bikinis” (E!, 10 p.m.) isn’t a bad place to start.
Agencies fight to sell that most useless of products: the extended service warranty on “The Pitch” (AMC, 11 p.m.).
Of films that begin with the word “National,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (AMC, 8 p.m.) is probably better than “National Treasure” (A&E, 8 p.m.).
The brassy blonde Glenda Farrell is the star today on Turner Classic Movies with 17 titles: “Little Caesar” (6 a.m.), “I’ve Got your Number” (7:30 p.m.), “The Personality Kid” (9 a.m.), “Kansas City Princess” (10:15 a.m.), “Snowed Under” (11:30 a.m.), “Fly Away Baby” (12:45 p.m.), “The Adventurous Blonde” (2 p.m.), “Blondes at Work” (3:15 p.m.), “Torchy Gets Her Man” (4:30 p.m.), “Torchy Blane in Chinatown” (5:45 p.m.), “Torchy Runs for Mayor” (6:45 p.m.), “Smart Blonde” (8 p.m.), “Mystery of the Wax Museum” (9:15 p.m.), “I Am a Fugitive from A Chain Gang” (10:45 p.m.), “Gold Diggers of 1935” (12:30 a..), “Gold Diggers of 1937” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Talk of the Town” (4 a.m.).
College football tonight includes Utah State at Utah (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.) and Mississippi at Vanderbilt (ESPN, 9:15 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Ryan Reynolds, Shaquille O’Neal (rerun). The View: Ethan Hawke, John Walsh, Lauren Sanchez (rerun). The Talk: Scott Foley, Jordana Brewster, Jackie Warner (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Steve Carell, Emily Van Camp (rerun). Wendy Williams: (Angela “Big Ang” Raiola, Cynthia Pasquella (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Bill Murray, Lenny Kravitz, Gladys Knight. Jay Leno: Julie Scardina, Rod Stewart. Jimmy Kimmel: Naya Rivera, Backstreet Boys (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Jennifer Aniston, Lenny Kravitz, Goodie Mob with Cee-Lo Green (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Jon Hamm (rerun). Carson Daly: Michelle Rodriguez, Hanni El Khatib, the Men (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Chris Botti. Conan O’Brien: Jonah Hill, Coco and Ice-T, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Ian Karmel, Heather McDonald, Julian McCullough.